WILTON, Conn. – Trimming days from February break are among the options being mulled by the Wilton Board of Education as it adjusts the 2012-13 school calendar after Hurricane Sandy.

The school board heard three proposals Monday from Superintendent Gary Richards. The changes were needed after Wilton lost school all of last week and Monday and Tuesday of this week after the storm.

The option preferred by Richards and other administrators would make Feb. 4 a half-day with staff using the afternoon for professional development. It would also have school in session from Feb. 20 to Feb. 22, the last three days of the district’s planned February vacation, and add two days to the end of the calendar year, making the last day of school June 18. The current plan had the school year ending June 14.

The school year could be pushed back to June 21 if more weather days are needed. The district could also take one day off its planned 181-day calendar to the state minimum of 180 days. The planned April vacation would be shortened only if there were six or more additional snow days.

A second option would end the school year June 18 but would make April 15 to 17 school days, eliminating the first three days of spring break rather than changing the February vacation. If there were five additional snow days, classes would be held April 18 and the school year would end June 21. A sixth additional snow day would make April 19 a full school day.

The third option would have the school year end June 21 and shorten the school year to 180 days, maintaining the February and April breaks unless the district needs at least two more snow days. If more days were needed, the district would have classes starting with April 15, the first day of the April vacation. The entire weeklong break would be eliminated if six more days were needed.

School board Chairman Bruce Likly said any decision would make some people mad. The board will decide on the amended calendar at its Nov. 20 meeting.

Comments (1)

You would think with this happening nearly every year now, the Wilton School Board would consider planning five snow days in the schedule and ending the school year a week later in a planned fashion. If the snow days are not needed, then the last week of school is not needed at that point. Giving the days back to the residents of Wilton in May would be far preferable than playing this roulette game every year where "any decision would make some people mad."